Government missed opportunity to renew Laura Brennan HPV Vaccine Catch Up Programme – Labour’s Marie Sherlock TD
- Government announces €530,000 to support Ireland’s Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan with no commitment to renew the Laura Brennan Catch Up Programme.
- 33% of children didn’t take the HPV vaccine in secondary schools in CHO 9 in 2022/2023 – more than 12% drop in four years.
- Government must act on commitment in Programme for Government to renew Laura Brennan Catch up Programme and ensure that people can catch up on the vaccine.
Labour Spokesperson for Health and TD for Dublin Central, Marie Sherlock, has called on the government to renew the Laura Brennan Catch Up Programme.
This follows the Department of Health announcement of €530,000 in funding for Ireland’s Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan. However, there was no commitment to renew the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccine Catch Up Programme.
Deputy Sherlock said:
“We welcome this funding for the Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan, especially its targeted measures to improve HPV vaccine rates in underserved communities and improve uptake in screening.
“However, the Government missed the opportunity to renew the funding for the Laura Brennan Vaccine Catch Up Programme.
“The Government stated in the new Programme for Government that it would renew this vital programme but is falling short on its commitments. There was no money provided for this programme in 2025.
“We know that HPV vaccine uptake rates in secondary schools are dropping rapidly. In my own area, CHO 9, there has been a more than 12% drop in uptake rates. 33% of children didn’t take up the HPV vaccine. The uptake rates are lower for boys.
“The Laura Brennan Catch Up Programme, inspired by her incredible legacy, resulted in 11,000 people receiving a catch-up vaccine. We know that for many of these people, the cost of paying for the vaccine themselves would have been a barrier from receiving a catch-up vaccine.
“Vaccination is key piece of the puzzle in reducing cancer rates. We know that 250 women receive the devastating diagnosis of cervical cancer every year. For men, the HPV vaccine can prevent cancer in the mouth, throat, and genital area. The HPV vaccine is extremely effective in reducing HPV related cancers.
“The Government missed this opportunity to renew this programme as a part of the Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan. In Labour’s pre-budget submission for budget 2025, we called for €1.5 million to fund the renewal of the scheme to all under 25s.
“While I welcome today’s announcement of funding for the Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan, the Government must go further and ensure that there is no barrier in accessing the HPV vaccine.”